combine the water, sugar, and basil in a small saucepan and heat at medium-high until the liquid is clear and sugar granules are no longer visible, about 7 minutes. if using lemon zest, add to the syrup once it's off the heat. allow to cool, then strain out the zest and basil leaves.

note: this is a tart lemonade, if you prefer a sweeter lemonade, i would increase the sugar in the simple syrup. the recipe also produces a strong lemonade, which is why it is served in glasses with lots of ice.

and i'll leave you with lemonade and a city scape, for those who pine...

hey lisa, if you're using fresh lavender i would use sprigs that include the buds, but not necessarily the leaves (the part that looks like rosemary), if you're using dried culinary buds (which you can buy at places like whole foods) i would use a tsp or a tbsp and see how strong the floral flavor is. you could always add more or less lavender syrup to change the flavor of the lemonade as a whole. i'd say play around with it until it's at a sweetness and floralness you're happy with. have fun : )